| Location | Dallas, Texas |
We are looking for a Senior Venture Attorney with 5–8 years of experience to join Vela Wood's growing team in Dallas or Austin. This is a full-ownership role where you'll lead venture transactions and serve as trusted counsel to founders, emerging companies, and venture investors — working directly alongside our equity partners, with a refreshingly low billable hours target (1,350/year) and an aggressive bonus structure that rewards you for going beyond it. If you're a seasoned venture lawyer at a large firm craving better balance, deeper client relationships, and real upside, this is the move.
What will you be doing?
Leading venture capital transactions — SAFE, convertible note, and equity financings from seed through Series A and beyond
Advising on and drafting documentation for both company-side and investor-side deals
Drafting entity formation, governance, and organizational documents
Owning client relationships and building long-term partnerships with founders and investors
Mentoring and coaching junior attorneys and working closely with paralegals
Driving business development and bringing in new client work (originations)
5–8 years of venture law experience at a law firm, ideally a recognized venture practice (e.g., Perkins Coie, Cooley, Gunderson Dettmer, Wilson Sonsini Goodrich & Rosati, Fenwick & West, Nelson Mullins)
A track record of leading SAFE, convertible note, Series Seed, and NVCA-based financings — not just supporting them
Experience building pro forma cap tables and financing models (anti-dilution, SAFE/note conversions, post-money ownership)
Active bar license — Texas strongly preferred
Comfortable working independently, well-spoken, and a low-ego team player